"I was not allowed to use departmental stationary. My name was removed from the phonebook. They took my office away while I was away from the country," Awerbuch-Friedlander said.
The jury supported Awerbuch-Friedlander on her charge of gender discrimination for the assistant professorship and retaliation by the University. However the judge overturned the jury's decision, and found the defendant not guilty on all counts.
In addition to citing lack of evidence, the judge found that some of the defendant's points were untimely, since they were filed more than six months after the alleged discrimination took place.
The statue of limitations for such cases states that discrimination suits against employers must be filed within six months.
According to Awerbuch-Friedlander, the reason she did not file a case immediately was because the HSPH ombudsperson advised her against it.
"When things were happening to me I went to the ombudsperson, but she said don't retaliate, otherwise it will be the end of your professional career" she said.